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RICHMOND — Today it became known that Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has proposed a ban on abortion coverage by insurers who participate in Virginia’s health exchange. According to NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia this would affect approximately 50,000 Virginia women who are expected to use Virginia’s health exchange.

“This is Republican hypocrisy put into practice again”, said Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Donald McEachin (D-Henrico). “Gov. McDonnell is intruding into the world of the private market place and contracts by mandating what individuals and private insurance companies can agree to cover. He’s is overreaching yet again on social issues.”

Senator McEachin continued, “We have no business telling people how they should spend their own money. As a conservative you would think Gov. McDonnell would know that.”

Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) said, “Women who want the option of abortion coverage and are able to pay for such an option with private dollars will be denied this service as a result of the Governor's action. We cannot permit this right-wing ideology to dictate personal medical decisions. It is very demeaning to women, to their physicians, and to all Virginians. Virginians do not want a woman's constitutionally protected liberties to be infringed upon by politicians--when that happens everybody's liberties are at risk."